The top-five talkers all held steady and near their season highs in the week ending January 13, and not one series in the 13-show category declined.
Leading the group was CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil, back in originals and holding steady at a 3.2 live plus same day average household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, after gaining 33% in the prior week. Among daytime’s key demographic of adults 25-54, Phil tied Disney-ABC’s Live With Kelly and Michael and Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show for the lead at a 1.5.
Live With Kelly and Michael came in right behind Dr. Phil, standing pat at a 3.1.
Rounding out the top five, Ellen, NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey and NBCU’s Maury also all held firm at a 2.7, 1.9 and 1.9, respectively.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams advanced 6% to a 1.7. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz saw its ratings come to life with two exclusive interviews with HIV-stricken actor Charlie Sheen on Jan. 11 and 12, jumping 7% to a new season-high 1.6 and tying CTD’s Rachael Ray. Ray was steady for the week and whipped up the largest annual increase of any talk show, gaining 14% compared to last year at this time.
NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, NBCU’s Jerry Springer and CTD’s The Doctors all were on par with the prior week, at a 1.5, 1.4 and 1.1, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ The Real rose 10% to a 1.1, tying The Doctors, while NBCU’s Meredith Vieira, which will conclude its run in May, held steady at its season-high 1.0 for a second straight week.
Among the newcomers, Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily remained at its series-high 1.0 for the third week in a row and was the top new strip in first-run for the 18th consecutive week. Disney-ABC’s FABLife, which will conclude its run at the end of this season, also held at its series-high 0.9, first set last week. In third place, NBCU’s Crazy Talk slipped 17% to a new season-low 0.5.
Among women 25-54, Crime Watch nabbed a 0.6 in the key demo. FABLife followed with a 0.4 and Crazy Talk came in last with a 0.3.
CTD’s Judge Judy dipped 1% for the week but led syndication at a 7.7 for 29th time in the past 30 weeks. Judy improved 4% from last year at this time.
CTD’s Hot Bench remained hot, equalling its series high 2.5 and growing 47% from last year, by far the largest annual increase of any syndicated strip. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court picked up 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis was unchanged at a 1.5. Twentieth’s Divorce Court sank 7% to a 1.3 and Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.9.
In access, the top games were down a bit from the prior week but still strong. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune skidded 4% to a 7.3 to take second-place in overall syndication. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud fell 3% to a 7.0 for third, while CTD’s Jeopardy! sagged 6% to a 6.6.
Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game, renewed for season three, gave back 7% to a 1.4, tying Disney-ABC’s also-renewed Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which appreciated 8% to a 1.4, but was still down 26% from last year at this time.
Meanwhile, MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute, which next season will be distributed by Disney-ABC and air on the ABC owned stations, clocked an unchanged 1.2, and was down 25% from last year.
Elsewhere, the top entertainment magazines remained high in the heart of awards season, with the Golden Globes airing on Sunday, Jan. 10.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight led with a steady 3.6, matching its season high set in the prior week. CTD’s Inside Edition, which doesn’t strictly cover entertainment, dropped 9% to a 3.2. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was unchanged at its season-high 1.9. NBCU’s Access Hollywood showed the genre’s most growth, spiking 6% to a 1.8, its highest rating since the week of Nov. 30. Warner Bros’ Extra and CTD’s The Insider held firm at a 1.5 and 1.3, respectively.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation and OK! TV were unchanged at a 1.0 and 0.3, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms, although it slipped 3% to a 6.2. Twentieth’s Modern Family was flat at a 3.5. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men declined 3% to a 2.9. Twentieth’s Family Guy gained 5% to a 2.3. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly remained at a 2.2. Warner Bros.’ rookie 2 Broke Girls weakened 5% to a 2.1. SPT’s Seinfeld slid 10% to a 1.8. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother lost 11% to a 1.7. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show stayed at a 1.6, while Twentieth’s The Middle climbed 7% to a new season-high 1.5.
